Condenser system for rail cars



Junezl, 1932. C, WALKER 1,864,286

CONDENSER SYSTEM FOR RAIL CARS Filed Feb. 7, 195o 2 sheets-sheep L* Igel June 21, 1932. E, C, WALKERL U 1,864,286

coNDENsER SYSTEM FOR RIL CARS Filed Feb. '7. 1950 ZSheetS-Sheec 2 Patented June 2l, 1932 uNfrl'Tf-Ein isin'ras v1 n:frisiafr oir-Fme nnnL v`o. WALKER,

OF .CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,.ASSIGN.OR TO .INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER .KCOMPANY, :A CORPORATIQN OF NEW JERSEY CONDNSER 'SYSTEM FOR RAIL .CARS

This invention relates to ;a .condenser system 'for :steam rail tears or buses. vMore :particularlyit-relates tothe position yoft-he units wof a condenser system :and to -means :for icirfcnlating air therethrough.

Flheobject ofthe inventionistogprovide.an l.

air-:cooled condensingsystem f'of-suilicientica- -pacity for a continuous -maxium load .on :a steampower plant .particularly designed or Tfn driving :a rail-car.V

lAnother :obj ect is `:to `position the vunits .of the condensing system on a rail `car so las to obtain the maximum benefit:ofthe airfdraft produced by movement'o'f .thefcan .Another :object -is vvto @provide :means for "marrying :the condensing capacity as desired by cutting v`out rone or more ofl a series fof Lair 'circulating fans. H y ".Otherobjects Will-be apparentfromtheide- Yo stai'leddescriptiontofollow. i

The objects of rthe invention zare .accomf "plished the f'construction and arrangement 'di elements Vas .shown iin the fdrawings7 'in M whiehw Figm'e il 'is a side .elevation vslrowiing dia- :grammaticallythe front'end 'of asteam driven railcar, in which a condenser systemillustrating 'theinvention iis employed;

v igure 2 a front elevation end view fof the `'carislfiowm in Figure l;

K Figure 3 is fa .Cross :section #cakenlontle linie `3 3 of Figure 21;

Figure-'4 sfa` top plan view ofthe car .shownl in Figure 1;fan

"' Figure 5 is Van enlarged section fshowing me ofthe controls inthefconelenser unitoutets.

As zshown diagrammatically, the rail 'car lis provided with a steam driving engine 1 FTS im connected :a drive shaft '2 to one fof fthe axles of the truck 13. A Yboiler, not shown, is Y located in the car in a compartmentfcovered 'by the door Zlati-the lfrontofthe'car. An aux- I"il-ia-ryjsteam engine, 'which iisv also mounted 5 at'th'e 4front end ofthe car, is not shown, as'it Application :led February 7,1930. 'SerialNo. 426,522.

is :not a `part .of this invention. The power :plant iis-of the .condensing type, `in which Y'the exhaust steam Jlirom the engines is condensed and re-used as feed water with the loss of K A 4comparatively little water.

.Exhaust steam from `the :engine 1 is delivered ithroughranexhaust pipe 5 tothe top 'of `thecar wherefthe condensers are located. `If @theacar is driven by twoengines, theeXhaust from one may bedelivered `to oneside ofthe carzand the exhaust fromtheother .to theopposlte side. Inany case, a pressureiequalization pipe 6 4is connected across `the main in- .take-pipes 17 positioned along .thesides ofthe car above the "condenser units 8. Asishowfn, there are eight .condenser units on each .side ofithe'car. The Iunits Vare tilted inwardly at the 1top,ias.showfn iin Figure 2. Atfthe front .ottithecar iaseries of units 9, yexactly 4similar .to thezunits 18,. lare positioned vertically. A vdistributor and pressure equalizer pipe 10 `leitende.across :the 'front of .the car joiningfthe rnain `distributor pipes?. As shown in Figure 3, anLinlet 'connection 11 joins the header :offea'ch of fthe condenser units 9 to the dis- Ytributorlpipe 10. Although not shown in the drawings, each of the condenser units 8 is similarly connected to the adj oining'sections of the distributor'pipes 7 The top vof ithe car between the 'banks of .condenser units is closed by a cover 12. Three Ilarge circularopenings 13 are provided in the cover 12 forthe fans 15 and as outlets for air drawn through the condenser cores. The cover 12 together withthe banks of oon- -denserunits .form an aircirculating chamlber. Y

Theinteriorfofthe chamberis divided by partitions 14a intolthree compartments 14. Each of .the compartments 14 contains a vcircula'timr fan l5, which is lpositioned' Vbelow 'the openingfl in the cover 12. A motor ydrivenl shaft 16 extends Vlongitudinally through the three compartments. In each 'compartment a clutch 17 and 'bevel gears 18 and 19, mounted respectively on the shaft 16 and on fan shafts 20, provide means for driving the fans 15. rlhe shaft 16 is adapted to be driven by an electric motor 21 located back of the rear compartment.

As shown diagrammatically, the clutches 17 are adapted to be remotely and independently operated by iuid pressure-cylinders bellows or sylphons 22. Individual pipes 23 lead from each control cylinder or sylphon to a position adjacent the operators position in the car where valves for admitting or releasing fluid pressure in pipes 23 are located.

Around the `openings 13 in the cover 12 a narrow shroud 24 is positioned to aid inv the flo-w of air through said openings when the car is in motion. Y

On the faces of the side condenser units 8 deflectors 25 are positioned with their outer edges extending forwardly in the normal direction of movement of the car for the lpurpose of deflecting the air stream createdby the movement of the car, through the condenser cores.

As shown in dott-ed lines in Figures 1 and 2, a condensate collecting system communicates with the lower header of each of the condensing units. Longitudinal pipes 26 extend along the bottom of the condenser units downwardly toward an intermediate point where they join with a transverse pipe 27 leading across the car. At the front lof the cara transverse condensate lpipe 28 con'- Y nects with each of the outlets of the condenser units 9. The transverse pipes 27 and 28 discharge into a vertical pipe 29 leading to a hot well which delivers to the feed water pump for the boiler. These elements comprise a part of the steam generating system, not shown, as it is not a part of this invention.

As shown in the enlarged detail of a condenser unit (Figure 5) means are provided for preventing the iow of steam from the condenser units intoA the condensate lines. In the lower header 30 of a condenser unit a cage 31 is mounted interiorly thereof. A valve element32 is secured to a temperature operated, eXpansible element 33. The element 33 is in turn secured to the cage 31. The valve 32 seats in an outlet opening in the fitting 34 mounted on the header wall. A condensate pipe 35 is connected to the fitting 34. Openings 36 are provided at the bottom of the cage 31 for fluid flow therethrough.

In the operation of this condensing system, exhaust steam is delivered through the risers 5 to the main distributor pipes 7. The pressure equalization pipe 6 maintains a. substantially equal pressure in the distributor pipes 7. Steam is delivered to each of the condenser units `8 and, by means of the transverse distributor pipe 10, to the condenser units 9. The condensate collecting at the bottom of the condensing units flows by gravity in the collecting pipes 26, 27, 28 and 29 to the hot well of the steam generating system.

The motor 21 is put into operation and the fans 15 draw air inwardly through the condenser units and force it up and out through the openings 13. During normal operation of the car, a substantial air pressure is produced at the front of the car. Such a pressure creates a draft through the front condenser units 9 and out through the front opening13.V It may, therefore, be found desirable to disengage the clutch 17 operating the front condenser fan, as suflicient condensing capacity maybe available without the use of this fan'. When operating at light loads or in coldY weather, it may be found that sufficient condensing capacity is available with two or allV of the fans disconnected. The clutch operating mechanism, being controlled Vby the pressure operated bellows, may be thrown in and out of engagement, as found desirable, by the operator of the car.

In the drawings and description of this invention, I have shown diagrammatically one form in whichV the invent-ion may be embodied. It is to be understood that any variations or modifications, in which the principles of the invention are embodied, are contemplated. Applicant, therefore, limits vhisinvention only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is 'claimed is: y

1. In a steam rail car, a series of condenser units positioned at the top of the car along the sides thereof, an exhaust steam distributor pipe communicating with each of said units, means for collecting the condensate from each of said units, said means including means for removing condensate therefrom and preventing the flow of steam, means ytor pipe communicating with each of the units, condensate outlets from each` of the condenser units, each outlet having temperature operated means therein adapted toprevent kthe How of steam therefrom, means'for collecting thecondensate from each of said units, means cooperating with said units to vform an air circulating chamber, an opening -insaid means, and a fan positioned 1n said opening and adapted to createa current of air through the condenser units and through said opening. e p

3. In av steam rail car, a series of condenser 'units positioned at the top of, the car along each side thereof. means for distributing exhaust steam to each of said units, means for collecting the condensate from each of said units, a cover cooperating with the condenser units to form an air circulating chamber, partitions dividing said chamber into a plurality of compartments, an opening in the cover in each compartment, a fan positioned in each opening and adapted to deliver air therefrom, and remotely controlled means for inde endently operating each of said fans.

n testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

Chicago, Illinois, January 16, 1930.

EARL C. WALKER. 

